Car-step attachment.



s. G. DAVIS.

GAR STEP ATTACHMENT.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 31, 1912.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

Inventor Attorneys COLUMBIA PLANOG'RAPM c0 WASHINGTON D STEPHEN G. DAVIS, 01 CAYUGA, INDIANA.

CAR-STEP ATTACHMENT.

incense.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914:.

Application filed May 31, 1912. Serial No. 700,750.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, STEPHEN G. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cayuga, in the county of Vermilion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Car-Step Attachment, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an attachment for car steps, its object being to provide an extension step which can be applied readily to steps already in use and which can be operated from any convenient point so as to raise or lower the extension step relative to the fixed steps of the car.

A further object is to provide an extension step which, when raised will be housed under the lower fixed step of the car where it will not be in the way.

A further object is to provide means for automatically holding the extension step in raised position.

Another object is to provide operating mechanism which is simple in construction and which will not become clogged readily.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention. I

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings :-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a car step having the present improvements combined therewith. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the structure and showing the extension step retracted to housed position. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2, the operating bar being shown in section.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the sides of the fixed steps, said steps being indicated at 2. Secured to the outer face of each of the sides 1 are upper and lower guide brackets 3 and A respectively and. in which hangers 5 are loosely mounted. These hangers are secured, at their lower ends, to the ends of the extension step 6. A shaft 7 extends transversely of the fixed steps, preferably adjacent the upper ends of the sides 1 thereof, this shaft being formed with ears 8 extending upwardly from the rear ends of the upper brackets 3. A forked arm 9 extends radially from shaft 7 at a point above each bracket 3 and is pivotally connected, as at 10, to the upper end of the adjacent hanger 5. A crank arm 11 extends from one end of the shaft 7 and has pivotally connected thereto an operating bar 12 which can be extended in any desired direction therefrom. As shown in the drawings this bar is extended horizontally beyond the fixed steps but it is to be understood that, if desired, it can be extended upwardly to a point Where it can be easily reached by a person standing on the car platform.

One of the-upper brackets 3 has an exten sion 13 projecting downwardly therefrom and provided with a slot 1A in which is arranged a dog 15. This dog bears normally at one end against one of the hangers 5 while its other end extends forwardly beyond the fixed steps and forms an arm 16 by means of which the dog can be easily moved into or out of engagement with the hanger 5. A recess 17 is formed within the hanger and is designed, when the step 6 is raised to housed or inactive position, to receive one end of the dog 15 which thus acts to hold the step 6 against downward movement.

When it is desired to lower the step 6, the arm 16 is pressed downwardly whereupon the step 6 and the hangers 5 will gravitate to the positions shown in Fig. 3 or, if necessary, the shaft 7 can be rotated by means of the bar 12 so as to insure this movement of the step 6. l/Vith the step thus lowered, it can be used in the same manner as the fixed steps 2, the hangers 5 being held against swinging movement by the brackets 3 and 4: in which they are located. It will be noted that when the hangers are thus lowered they bear rearwardly against the brackets 4: and forwardly against the brackets 3. To elevate the step 6, the bar 12 is shifted so as to rotate shaft 7 and cause the arms 9 to pull upwardly on the hangers 5. As these hangers reach their uppermost position, the dog 15 engages the recess 17 and the step is thus fastened in raised position.

Attention is called to the fact that the brackets 4 have openings therein considerably larger than the hangers 5 so that there is thus no danger of the openings becoming clogged by snow and sleet. As a result the mechanism can be easily actuated under all climatic conditions.

The device herein described can be applied to passenger coaches, street cars, and other public vehicles and the construction of the attachment is such that it can be easily applied to structures already in use.

It will be noted that the brackets 4 have inclined extensions 18 at their rear ends. These extensions form bearings for the hangers while the step 6 is in use.

lVhat is claimed is The combination with the fixed steps of a car structure, of upper and lower guide brackets upon the sides thereof, said brackets being slotted longitudinally, hangers mounted to slide and swing within the brackets, those portions of the hangers working in the upper bracket being reduced in width, the front edge of each reduced portion being concaved and adapted to slide upon the front wall of the slot in which it is mounted during the swinging of the hanger, there being bearing extensions upon the rear end portions of the lower brackets and upon which the hangers are adapted to slide, a revoluble shaft, arms extending therefrom and pivotally connected to the upper ends of the hangers, means for rotating the shaft to raise and lower the hangers and to swing them within the slots during such move ment, and means for automatically engaging one of the hangers for holding both hangers and the extension step in elevated positions.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

STEPHEN G. DAVIS. lVitnesses MAME SAUNDERS, KxrnLnnN BENNETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

